Placement of an apical chest tube by a posterior intercostal approach.
Apical pneumothorax due to incomplete expansion of the lung is not uncommon following thoracotomy and also occurs in some patients with recurring spontaneous pneumothorax. Standard methods of intercostal drainage may be unsatisfactory because of difficulty in placing an intercostal tube safely and accurately within the apical air space.
Galvin
I F
IF
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Gibbons
J R
JR
Magout
M
M
Bowe
P
P
D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000628:therapy*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D013907:Thoracostomy / Q000379:methods*